This carefully edited collection has been designed and formatted to the highest digital standards and adjusted for readability on all devices. Guy de Maupassant (1850 – 1893) was a popular French writer, considered one of the fathers of the modern short story and one of the form's finest exponents. Maupassant was a protégé of Flaubert and his stories are characterized by economy of style and efficient, effortless dénouements (outcomes). Content: Mademoiselle Fifi Ball of Fat / Boule de Suif, An Adventure in Paris / Une Aventure Parisienne Madame Baptiste, Rust / La Rouille, Marroca / Marroca, The Log / La Bûche, The Relic / La Relique, The Bed / Le Lit, Am I Insane? / Fou?, Words of Love / Mots d'Amour, Two Friends / Deux Amis, Christmas Eve / Nuit de Noël, The Substitute / Le Remplaçant